Irene McCormack, Donna Frye and Marcus Bush stand with Sandy, Isabel and Anabel.
“Doing nothing is not an option for people of good conscience.”
By Brent E. Beltrán
On a cold Wednesday evening in Kearny Mesa prominent San Diegans Donna Frye and Irene McCormack joined community members to show their solidarity with Sandy Naranjo, Isabel Vasquez and Anabel Arauz and call for the resignation of the President of UFCW Local 135 and San Diego and Imperial Labor Council, Mickey Kasparian.
Naranjo, Vasquez, and Arauz filed separate lawsuits against Kasparian accusing him of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and other misdeeds. Also named in all three complaints are the union itself and in Arauz’s filing, Richard Barerra, executive assistant of the local.
McCormack was the chief communications aide to disgraced, former mayor Bob Filner and the first of many women to accuse him of sexual harassment. Former City Councilwoman Donna Frye, alongside lawyers Cory Briggs and Marco Gonzalez, was the first person to come out publicly to condemn Filner and call for his resignation.
Both women showed up at the Labor Council’s monthly delegates meeting at Machinists Hall to share the following letter calling upon Kasparian to resign:
January 25, 2017
Dear UFCW Local 135 Members and San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council Delegates and Board Members,
Serious and disturbing allegations have been made against Mr. Kasparian in his capacity as President of UFCW Local 135. Mr. Kasparian also serves as the President of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.
Lawsuits have been filed against Mr. Kasparian alleging sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation to name but a few. According to media reports, “a handful of former employees have stepped forward to say Kasparian policies union staff and the San Diego political landscape through bullying and fear, and that he mistreats women specifically.” Mr. Kasparian denies the allegations.
To the best of our knowledge, since the filing of these lawsuits by Sandy Naranjo, Isabel Vasquez and Anabel Arauz there has been no independent investigation by either UFCW Local 135 or the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council regarding the allegations of Mr. Kasparian’s gross abuse of power.
It is our belief that the appropriate remedy is for Kasparian to resign. At a minimum, we urge you to conduct an independent investigation regarding these allegations against Mr. Kasparian. We also urge you to take the actions necessary to protect the current employees, such as placing Mr. Kasparian on administrative leave until this is resolved.
Doing nothing is not an option for people of good conscience.
Thank you,
[Signed]
Irene McCormack
Donna Frye
Unfortunately, they were both denied entrance to a meeting that is normally open to the public and were asked to leave the premises.
“We have letters that we wanted to give to the delegates to let them know what we thought of Mr. Kasparian’s gross abuse of power,” stated Donna Frye.
“When we walked down to talk to some of the folks outside of their meeting we were told rather abruptly that we were not welcome, we were not allowed on the property, and we were not allowed to do any sort of hand billing. Which is quite ironic given this is a labor union.”
In addition, a news crew from Fox 5 and reporters from San Diego CityBeat and Times of San Diego were also stopped from going into the building.
“I always pledged to support women who are in this position,’ said McCormack. “I believe them. And I also believe Mr. Kasparian should resign. Or in the least the [Labor] Council [and UFCW] should allow him to go out on administrative leave to see if these charges are true. No one should be put in that position of having to work with somebody with serious allegations against him.”
Supporters of Sandy, Isabel and Anabel.
As Frye and McCormack were denied entrance protestors from the We Stand With Sandy, Isabel and Anabel community campaign started to gather with signs demanding the resignation of Kasparian.
Anabel Arauz was present at the protest. A little over an hour before the meeting she was told by Kasparian that she was no longer a delegate to the Labor Council and could not attend the meeting. She showed up anyway, was denied entrance and let loose in a video posted to Facebook.
“This isn’t right. We’re a union. I work for a union. I worked very hard to get where I’m at,” said Arauz. “It’s time to stand up and speak out. And say that this isn’t right. This has to stop.”
Donna Frye also commented that [Kasparian] “is in control and he is in charge and so we have to rely on other people to take action because clearly Mr. Kasparian is not going to do anything. And is going to do everything in his power to keep people away from expressing their point of view.”
“We need to understand what its like,” she continued. “Until its happened to you, until you have been in the position where you are powerless, where your job depends on somebody who is sexually harassing you, where you feel that you have no recourse, and no remedy, it’s the most awful feeling in the world. And the women deserve our support and we are here to let them know that.”
In addition to Irene McCormack and Donna Frye over twenty community members, activists and friends of the accusers came out to show their solidarity with these brave women. They stayed until the meeting was over, making sure delegates saw them on the way out. Including Kasparian who was hiding behind his phone as he was driven away from the meeting.
This is the fourth in a series of articles on Kasparian and his accusers by the author:
- Councilman Alvarez: “I am disgusted by the allegations” About Sexual Harassment by Labor Leader
- We Stood With Sandy and Isabel!
- Community Campaign Against Accused Sexual Harasser Mickey Kasparian Continues
Brent E. Beltrán
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Will the Republicans get behind a movement to dump Kasparian just as they did Bob Filner? Or is sexual discrimination only a Democratic Party disease best left to the Democrats to decide?
Personally, I don’t care what the Republicans think about this issue. And I’m not asking them.
I do care what the Republicans think about this issue. They’re a minority in this city and they are a minority in this country, and they rule both this city and this country.
No. Republicans only get involved to stand for women when there is immediate political gain. The swooped in with force to recall Bob Filner and add pressure for him to resign at the first opportunity.
Republican politicians like Darrell Issa only feign care when their opponent has a long-since resolved issue (and the one woman it involved specifically stated she did not want it to be a campaign issue, so she was taken advantage of by Issa and his campaign).
Republicans have nothing to gain by getting involved right now, and actually it serves them to have Mickey Kasparian throwing the left into disarray and loyalty wars.
Mickey needs to resign.
Somebody is “throwing the left into disarray and loyalty wars” but I’m not sure it is Mickey Kasparian.
Filner apologist turned Kasparian apologist.
Women deserve better.
Sara I’m an apologist for the rule of law. Your boss, attorney Marco Gonzales, is sworn to uphold the law. Is he doing so by allowing his employees to declare people guilty without due process? I don’t think so.
You think my boss (Gonzalez with a “z”) should limit my personal social media expressions? He respects me more than that.
Sounds like you support Mickey unequivocally, facts be damned. He tells his staff what opinions they can and cannot express during their personal time via social media on their personal feeds (and not just about politics or other local news. Sports, too, if they insult his favorite team. So I’ve been told. Petty control freak. Sad. Reminds me of someone…).
You believe him, who says these women that filed lawsuits (I believe under oath) – lie? That they have perjured themselves?
I believe them instead.
Sounds like you are doing this with Marco’s approval. I doubt he would let you do it otherwise, if he even knows about it.
What you or I believe is not the law. “So I’ve been told” doesn’t cut it. I suggest you talk to Mr. Gonzalez (sorry about the “s” earlier) and run your social media comments by him before you publish them just in case you are leaving him open to a lawsuit for defamation.
lol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_figure
one more lol for kicks: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=concern+troll
Thank you. I just read it. It says inter alia that “The burden of proof in defamation actions is higher in the case of a public figure”, but the burden is still there.
BTW calling somebody who is trying to uphold the law against someone who flaunts it, a troll, may also be defamatory. Please uphold the law against defamation.
Wow, Pat. You’re riding Kasparian’s nuts pretty hard there. Filner is going to get jealous.
Republicans swooped down but that issue was brought to light by two very prominent San Diego progressives who asked for him to resign.
Chris, “two very prominent San Diego progressives”?. What is progressive about damaging your own Party? The Republicans swoop when “progressives” act to damage the Progressive Party.
Who you obviously know very well.
Where is Marco Gonzalez and Lorena Gonzalez. Why are they not speaking out? Is this going to be another trial by the media?
Marco has responded on Twitter. Nothing but silence from Lorena.
This is not trial by media. It’s trial by community. Community members, including myself, are pissed that labor has allowed Kasparian to get away with this. These are three credible women. And their accusations need to be taken seriously. Which labor has refused to do since Kasparian controls the council.
And the silence coming from the progressive left is disturbing.
If I am not mistaken, there are lawsuits pending? If this is true, then why not let it go to court? Just curious how this all works. I don’t know Mr. Kasparian, but I think when someone is accused of a crime, they have the right to be innocent until proven guilty. If he he is proven guilty in a court of law, then I would most definitely want him to resign, or to be voted out by his union members.
And while we wait for the slow wheels of justice to turn his reign of terror will continue. Sorry but we ain’t going for that. He needs to be gone. He’s dragging down labor and the progressive movement.
“The slow wheels of justice” and “we ain’t going for that”? I am wondering who the “we” is in your statement? I also wonder if that particular philosophy should be extended to anyone who has been accused of a crime? I was taught, “innocent until proven guilty”. I still believe in it. Maybe I am the only one.
Wonder no more. The we is the community of friends, family, labor and activists that believe these three women. It’s very apparent you know nothing of Kasparian’s ways.
You are absolutely right about me not knowing Mr. Kasparian’s ways, as I have never met him. I am a strong union supporter, so I really want to make sure “we” are not judging before all the facts are in. That is what a courtroom is for. I also thought Lorena Gonzalez was the person who championed him. I think Assemblywoman Gonzalez is a remarkable person, and an awesome Assemblywoman. Has she spoken out against him?
I know why she hasn’t but I won’t share that here.
UPDATE: Just got word that Kasparian retaliated against Anabel Arauz and is sending her to Utah to work at the International for 10 days.
This is the type of person Kasparian is.